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Five on Friday {The first of fall}

Posted on September 23, 2016 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

Happy Friday and happy fall! This was a busy week with playdates (or “hanging out” as my 5th grader calls it) and back to school night at the middle school for my daughter. This weekend my daughter will be away for two nights on a Girl Scout camping trip and my husband is heading up to Binghamton University for alumni Homecoming weekend. So, Saturday will be just me and my son. He has soccer and then I see some Pokemon catching and a movie marathon happening! Here are five things from this week:

1. Eating – Sunday we had our monthly supper club. This month’s theme was to cook one of our favorite dishes from a past supper club. I made Lasagna Stuffed Spaghetti Squash that another member had previously made. I liked this dish because not only was it tasty it was also carb-free, which usually I don’t go for! I love me so me carbs! I also thought that this was a dish that my kids would enjoy since you don’t really taste squash flavor with all of the lasagna ingredients. Well, there was enough leftovers to have it for dinner this week and let’s just say, my son wasn’t a fan! Oh well, I tried!

2. Blog Post – I am a contributor to the Westchester County Mom’s Blog, a recently launched resource for local moms. My article “8 Tips for Motivating Reluctant Readers” was posted this week! You can check it out as well as the blog itself. There are lots of relevant posts pertaining to motherhood and parenting issues, not just local events, etc.

3. Working Out – As I mentioned in last week’s Five on Friday, my husband and I joined our local Retro Fitness. We got to work out together Sunday morning while the kids were at CCD. We did some of the arm and leg machines and then walked (me)/jogged (him) on the treadmill. I also tried my first Barre class this and also did a Zumba class yesterday. I’m really hoping to get in shape!

4. Cable and Phone – We’ve been cable-free for over three years now. We’ve done fine with watching Netflix and Amazon Prime and using just our cell phones. However, it was cheaper for us to upgrade to a “triple play” package than to just pay for internet. So yesterday we got cable and home phone service again! I’m sure I will love having a DVR back and being able to watch my favorite shows as they air!

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5. Reading – I’m currently reading All is Not Forgotten by Wendy Walker. It’s a thriller/suspense book that so far is pretty good.

ICYMI this week on the blog:
Monday I shared our weekly meal plan.
Tuesday I posted a review of the Brazilian animated movie Boy & The World.
Thursday I shared a short list of things I’m looking forward to in fall.

Linking up with Tif, Andrea and April. Have a great weekend!

Happy Fall!

Posted on September 22, 2016 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

Happy fall! While it sure doesn’t feel like fall here in New York, it is now officially appropriate for all things apple and pumpkin spice! Here are some things that I’m looking forward to this fall:

*apple picking – recently we’ve been staying local to pick apples and of course get cider doughnuts
*baking with apples and pumpkins – muffins, cookies, cakes….I want them all!
*fall foliage – living in the Northeast we are lucky to be able to see all of the leaves change colors
*wearing boots and sweaters – fall fashion staples!
*trying pumpkin spice everything – yes, I’m a fan!
*family cruise in October – a month early but a great way to celebrate my husband’s 40th birthday!
*Hudson Valley Restaurant Week – although not until November, I’m looking forward to trying some new restaurants
*chili, soups and stews – total comfort food and even better for me when made in the slow cooker
*mums – that’s about the extent of my fall decorating!

What are you looking forward to this fall?

Woodbury Common: For All Your Shopping Needs

Posted on August 29, 2016 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

Located conveniently off the New York State Thruway, lies Woodbury Common Premium Outlets Center. The Simon owned property recently underwent a $100 million renovation and looks amazing. Besides the cosmetic changes to building exteriors, they have added other decorative touches like the fountained sign pictured above.

The outlet center features 220 stores and includes a variety of shops from Gap Factory to Gucci and everything in between. The stores are housed in five different neighborhoods: Hudson Valley, Hamptons, Adirondacks, Saratoga and Niagara. Each neighborhood is labeled and has directories, like the one below, listing all the stores.

If you are a AAA member, you can stop by any information desk and pick up a free coupon booklet.

Whereas parking used to be a problem on super busy holiday weekends, the outlet now has a three story parking garage in addition to numerous parking lots.

Don’t worry where you park, as there is a free shuttle service that stops at all the neighborhoods.

Children’s retailers include Carter’s, The Children Place Outlet, Disney Store Outlet, Gymboree Outlet, Osh Kosh B’Gosh, and Polo Ralph Lauren Children’s Factory Store. The Gap Outlet, J. Crew Factory and Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5TH also sell children’s clothing.

For fans of designer bags, Woodbury Common has you covered. There is Coach, Coach Men’s, Dooney & Burke, Kate Spade New York, Vera Bradley and more. Designer fashion includes Armani, Balenciaga, Bebe, Burberry, Calvin Klein, Diane von Furstenberg, Dior, DKNY, Dolce & Gabbana, Elie Tahari, Escada, Fendi, Gucci, Helmut Lang, John Varvatos, La Perla, Michael Kors, Prada, Rag & Bone, Ralph Lauren, Roberto Cavalli, Ted Baker London, Theory, Thomas Pink, Tory Burch and more. I couldn’t tell you how the prices compare to regular retail, because I don’t shop at these stores!

My favorite outlets to shop in are the Banana Republic Factory Store, the Gap Outlet, the J. Crew Factory and LOFT Outlet. I also like the Nine West Outlet for shoes. My kids love the Skechers and Converse outlets as well as the Disney Store outlet.

I was not joking when I noted in the title “For All Your Shopping Needs.” Besides the expected clothing, shoe and designer bag shops, Woodbury Common also has many jewelry and watch stores including Pandora, Fossil, Citizen Watch Company, Zales Outlet and TAG Heuer. Plus, there are luggage stores (including Samsonite, Tumi), housewares (Corningware, Frette, Le Creuset), make-up (including BareMinerals, Crabtree & Evelyn, and Elizabeth Arden) as well as Yankee Candle, Vitamin World, Bose, a Toys “R” Us Outlet, Bose and both a Godiva Chocolatier and a Lindt Chocolate.

Of course will all the shopping you’re doing, you are going to get hungry. The recent renovation includes Market Hall, a new food court which houses several eateries including an Au Bon Pain, Chipotle, Cinnabon, Kung Pao Wok, Pinkberry, Melt Shop, Tony & Benny’s and a Pret A Manger.

Besides the Applebee’s that has always been there, new sit-down dining options include a Shake Shack and a YO! Sushi.

So, now you’re ready to come to Woodbury Common and start shopping! Here are some things to keep in mind:

This is an outdoor shopping center. Keep the weather forecast in mind when planning your trip. As you can see from my pictures, our most recent visit was on an overcast day.

This place is huge! With 220+ outlets, you will NOT be able to get to every store during a one day visit. Check out the directory before visiting and make a list of the outlets that you definitely want to get to.

Keep in mind that these are outlets. Most stores carry out of season, overstock, irregular merchandise, etc. Don’t expect to find the same merchandise that you see at the brand’s regular retail stores.

Some outlets like Gap Outlet and Banana Republic Factory Store have their own lines of clothing that are never sold at the regular retail stores.

It is important to note that The Children’s Place Outlet differs from The Children’s Place retail store and does not accept retail Children’s Place coupons. However, they do accept outlet specific coupons, which are noted as such.

From our personal experience, outlets accept store credit cards (at least this is true for The Children’s Place and Gap/Banana Republic).

Labor Day is coming up, so expect BIG sales and lots of crowds during the holiday weekend!

What is your favorite outlet store to shop at?

Five on Friday {Week 6}

Posted on August 19, 2016 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

Summer is officially winding down and we are getting ready to go back to school. While I’d like to say we did lots of fun stuff this week, the reality is that it was filled with lots of errands. My daughter enjoyed some get-togethers with friends and my son, jealous of his sister’s get-togethers, finally realized that maybe he should have chosen to go to camp (where all his friends are during the day!). Today we are enjoying my husband’s company picnic at a local park and then we are headed back to Rhode Island for the weekend. My husband and I are heading back Sunday, but the kids are staying with my parents for a couple of days. Here are five from this week:

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Reading: This week I finished It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover and Swear on This Life by Renee Carlino. I recommend both! I’m hoping to get a lot of reading in this weekend while relaxing in Rhode Island because my to read pile from the library is crazy!

Watching: Besides of course the Olympics, thanks to Megan’s recommendation my husband and I started watching American Odyssey. I’m not sure how I ever missed this show but I’m enjoying this military action thriller. It is very reminiscent of Homeland which sold me on trying it out to begin with. My husband is “eh” about it, but we are two episodes in and I’m still interested.

Eating: Saturday we had our monthly supper club. I made a Zucchini Tian and my husband made a Chocolate Almond cake for our Julia Child themed dinner. It was delicious as usual!

Home Renovating: I have been talking about repainting some of the walls in our house for a few weeks now. This week I bought the paint and my husband has been so wonderful in working on this house project every night after work. I’m slowly doing (really having my husband do! LOL!) some DIY house projects that are long overdue.

Playing: My daughter has gotten the family addicted to the trivia app, QuizUp. My husband, daughter and I all have created accounts and now we challenge each other in trivia quizzes. There are hundreds of topics to choose from and you can play against friends or with random opponents. It’s addicting and fun!

ICYMI this week on the blog:
Monday I shared our weekly meal plan.
Wednesday I posted Getting Back Into a School Routine.

Linkng up with Tif, Andrea, Amanda and April!

I hope everyone had a great week! Enjoy your weekend!

Getting Back into a School Routine

Posted on August 17, 2016 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

Unfortunately, summer has gone by way too fast and it’s time once again to start thinking about getting back into a school routine. This year I have a third and a fifth grader. My fifth grader starts middle school, which in our district means catching a bus at 7:25 AM. This is a big change from the 8:50 AM elementary school bus! Summer has meant long, lazy days, lack of routines and staying up late. I’m trying to slowly ease the kids back into school mode over these next couple of weeks so they are not in shock once September 1 rolls around!

1. Regular bedtime: Getting to bed at a reasonable time EVERY night is probably the biggest adjustment that the kids have to make. Like me, my kids need a lot of sleep to function well. Last year, bedtimes were 8 PM and 8:30 PM for the kids. For these next two weeks we are doing our best to get the kids back on track with these bedtimes.

2. Re-establish a morning routine: This summer since the kids weren’t at camp, if we didn’t have a morning appointment, I’d let them lay in bed. They’d wake up anywhere between 8 and 9 AM, but then they’d lay in bed and read a book. Some mornings, my daughter didn’t get out of her bed until 10:30! Then they’d come downstairs, eat breakfast and then go up and shower and get dressed. Obviously, this lazy schedule can’t work once school begins. So, I’ve been having them get up and out of bed when they wake up. They can’t come downstairs for breakfast until they are showered and dressed. And breakfast now has a time limit. Thirty minutes max (and that’s being generous!).

3. Clean out closets and drawers: During the school year the kids need to pick their outfits out the night before. There’s nothing I hate more than hearing “I have nothing to wear” when trying to get them out the door in the morning. I have recently tortured the kids with our seasonal “fashion show.” We go through their closets and drawers and I have them try clothes on to see what still fits and what doesn’t. This helps me figure out what we need to buy for fall as well as remind them of what they have to wear.

4. Set up calendars and planners: Both my kids have calendars in their rooms. Over the summer my daughter also bought herself a planner. I am hoping that a planner will help her keep track of her schedule, since she likes to participate in lots of school activities. Now that she’s in middle school and has different teachers she also needs to keep track of her various tests and projects. Plus, back to school means back to scouting, sports, music lessons, before/after school clubs, etc. So the kids are seeing me keep track of all of their activities on the family calendar as well.

5. Buy school supplies: We haven’t received teacher assignments yet, but school supply lists are available on our school website. My kids love to help shop and pick out their school supplies. This also helps to get them excited to go back to school to use all of their new stuff!

What have you been doing to get back into the school routine?

Weekly Meal Plan {Week 48}

Posted on August 15, 2016 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

Monday means another meal plan! This week it was quiet around here, as my daughter was away with a friend of hers. She didn’t come home until Saturday, so it was just three of us for dinner this week. Most of our dinners this week don’t have a linked “recipe.” I ended up winging most of the dinners based on what I had on hand. I’m proud of myself for actually getting dinner on the table this week. It was SO hot in New York this week and honestly, most nights I didn’t really want to cook. However, we had lots of CSA veggies that had to be used, so dinner got made!

Monday – I made tacos with Mexican rice and roasted broccoli. Any kind of taco is a hit around here. I had picked up some large taco shells at a big discount from Acme and we filled them with ground beef, tomatoes, cheese, salsa and sour cream.

Tuesday – I made Slow Cooker Spare Ribs, roasted potatoes from the CSA, chopped salad mix and tomatoes from the CSA with basil and balsamic. The ribs ended up a little drier than I liked but we dipped them in BBQ sauce.

Wednesday – I made a steak stir fry with rice, sautéed Swiss Chard. I threw some onions and eggplant and peppers from the CSA into the stir fry. I made a sauce using soy sauce, brown sugar, honey and teriyaki sauce and thickened it a little with cornstarch mixed with water.

Thursday – I made Stuffed Zucchini from Taste of Home. I’ve made stuffed zucchini before, usually with sausage. This recipe reminded me of a meatball stuffed inside a squash. It was tasty and my son ate a small zucchini.

Friday – My husband came home from work early and helped make homemade pizza. We made one cheese and one with ricotta cheese, sautéed zucchini and red onion. Yum!

Saturday – We had our monthly Supper Club Saturday night. This month’s theme was Julia Child. I made a Zucchini Tian and my husband made her Chocolate Almond Cake. It was a delicious meal as usual!

Five on Friday {Week 5}

Posted on August 12, 2016 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

Yeah for Friday! It’s been a long, hot, quiet week around here. My daughter has been in D.C. and Hershey Park with a friend of hers and their family. She’s been super busy and having an amazing time from what I can tell from our short phone calls and pics that texted to me. So, it’s been me and my son for most of the week, with not much exciting going on. He had piano lessons, we went to the library, we cleaned out his closet and drawers to see what fall/winter clothes still fit to prepare for the school year and we picked up some more school supplies. He has a friend coming over today and my daughter will be coming back home sometime tonight! We sure have missed her around here! This weekend we have our monthly supper club

1. Watching – The Olympics, mostly gymnastics and swimming. Darn you Facebook, where I end up seeing results before I’ve gotten a chance to watch! My husband and I also finished Stranger Things on Netflix. When we first watched the show, I was thinking that I wasn’t going to like it. Sci-fi and horror are not my thing. However, I was sucked in and hope there’s another season coming!

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2. Reading – I’m currently reading Colleen Hoover’s newest book It Ends with Us. I have JUST started it but I’m sure it will be finished this weekend! I love Hoover’s books!

3. Eating – Lots of CSA veggies! Zucchini, eggplant, peppers, Swiss Chard! And this week we got our first tomatoes! There is nothing like a farm fresh tomato!

4. Planning – on re-painting one of our living room walls. It’s currently a teal blueish color but I’m thinking a more neutral brown color. I’ve picked up some paint chip cards from the Home Depot and we will hopefully buy some paint this weekend.

5. – Remembering – The fun we had in Maryland last weekend visiting my sister and her family. My kids don’t get to see their younger cousins very much so it’s always nice when we can fit in visits with each other. My sister has a giant hill in her backyard and she set up tarps to make a giant slip and slide. She had tubes that the kids used to slide down it. What fun they had! There is an awesome Korean restaurant near their house and we eat there EVERY time we visit. Bibimbap for the win!

ICYMI this week on the blog:
Tuesday I shared my July reads.
Wednesday I posted a recipe for Pattypan Squash with Basil.
Thursday I shared my son’s July reads.

Linking up with Tif, Amanda and Andrea! Have a great weekend!

CSA Spotlight: Pattypan Squash with Basil

Posted on August 10, 2016 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

In this week’s CSA spotlight, I’m focusing on Pattypan Squash.

Pattypan squash are a variety of summer squash that have a unique, UFO like shape. These squash come in yellow, white and green varieties and are also known as scallop squash, sunburst squash and custard squash (among other names used). This recipe is a great summer recipe since there are few ingredients and it uses basil, which is abundant during this time of year. Although the squash look different, I found them to have a similar taste to yellow squash and zucchini. While the kids aren’t big fans of squash they each had small portions of this side dish. I served this as a side with chicken cutlets and mashed potatoes.

Pattypan Squash with Basil
Recipe slightly adapted from Food Renegade

Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups patty pan squash, sliced (approximately 7 small squash)
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
salt

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 2 quart cooking dish with non-stick spray. Place a layer of squash slices on the bottom of the dish. Drizzle some of the melted butter on top and sprinkle some of the basil and salt on top. Continue layering this way until all the squash and basil has been used. (I had 3 layers).

2. When finished layering, cover the dish and cook in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until squash is tender. Serve warm.

Five on Friday {The First in August}

Posted on August 5, 2016 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

Happy Friday! We have enjoyed perfect weather this week, finally experiencing some comfortable temperatures. This week the kids had some play dates, we started purchasing school supplies, and we are getting ready to spend a few days down in Maryland visiting my sister and her family. The kids can’t wait to see their cousins. A vacation for October was also booked (see below!) which we are all very excited about! This week we were:

1. Watching – My husband and I have continued to watch Stranger Things on Netflix. I have been watching Scandal and a couple episodes of Odd Mom Out. We all watched The Princess Bride. The last time I saw that movie, I think I was my daughter’s age (10)!

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2. Reading – I most recently read Because of Winn-Dixie, which is my daughter’s required summer reading for school. I am currently reading The Last Time She Saw Him, a mystery/thriller. My son and I are reading The BFG by Roald Dahl together, as well as listening to/reading Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

3. Dining Out – This week the kids and I went out for lunch at a local BBQ restaurant where I enjoyed this Beef Brisket sandwich. We then went next door and brought home these doughnuts, which we saved to share with my husband, when he got home from work.

4. Family Fun – It rained most of this past weekend. Saturday, we went to a neighbor’s pool party and BBQ, although most of the time was spent indoors as it poured most of the afternoon and evening. Sunday, we did a family art project, where we each painted a canvas reflecting a chosen season. My son chose summer, my daughter chose spring, my husband painted winter and I painted fall. These will soon be hanging on our living room wall! We also went bowling Sunday evening and then came home and watched The Princess Bride.

5. Excited About: We have booked an October vacation for an early celebration of my husband’s 40th birthday! It’s about a month early, but we had to take advantage of the kids having some days off from school. We have booked a Carnival cruise to Saint John and Halifax. We’ve never done a Canada cruise before and are excited to see someplace new.

ICYMI this week on the blog:
Monday I shared our weekly meal plan.
Tuesday my daughter shared her July book reads and reviews.
Thursday I gave an update on our summer bucket list.

Linking up with Tif, Andrea and Amanda! Have a great weekend!

Spicy Grits with Chorizo, Leeks and Corn {CSA Challenge}

Posted on July 27, 2016 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

In this week’s CSA challenge I am spotlighting leeks. Leeks look like long, thick scallions and are related to onions, shallots and scallions. However, they have a milder flavor than onions. Leeks need to be cleaned really well, as they grow in sandy soil, which tends to collect among the layers. In this recipe, to prepare the leeks, I chopped the tops and ends off. Then I made a cut down the length of the leek, sliced it and then rinsed them in a bowl of water.

To showcase the leeks I made Spicy Grits with Chorizo, Leeks and Corn. I have recently come to like grits, especially with cheese! The kids were visiting their grandparents for a few days and since they don’t like grits, I thought it was a perfect time to make this recipe. This recipe is versatile, in that you can substitute different vegetables. I used Swiss chard in place of the spinach the original recipe called for. I think adding some sautéed zucchini would be tasty as well!

Spicy Grits with Chorizo, Leeks and Corn
Recipe adapted from Real Simple

Ingredients:
2 links of chorizo, sliced about 1/4 inch thick
3 leeks (both white and light green parts), thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
salt and pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
1/2 cup grits
1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (from 3 ears of corn)
1 bunch of Swiss chard, chopped

Directions:
1 . In a large saute pan, cook chorizo over medium heat until browned, approximately 3 minutes.

2. Add the leeks and garlic , cooking for approximately 3-4 minutes until leeks start to soften.

3. Add the tomatoes, 2 cups of water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and crushed red pepper. Bring mixture to a boil.

4. Stir in the grits. Reduce heat to medium low and cook, stirring often until grits are tender and slightly thickened. (While the original recipe noted about 10 minutes, it took at least 20 minutes for my grits to thicken).

5. Add the corn and Swiss chard, cooking until the chard wilts, approximately five minutes.